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Sunday, October 26, 2014

“People are fed by the food
industry, which pay no attention to health and are treated by the health
industry, which pays no attention to food”.

The problem today is we rarely
eat real food, but a substitute for it. I don’t believe approaching food from a
dietary point of view works long term! Why? Because diets are always
restrictive and as human beings we don’t appreciate restrictions of any
proportion.

For too long, we have trusted (without
question), the advice that the scientific and health community has told us. We
have entered a “faith” relationship with them, similar to that which was once
reserved for the church. As they preach their gospel from (untested truth at
worst and evolutionary discovery at best), we the hearers, take heed as if it
were the panacea of all life. Truth is, it’s not.

We stopped eating fat, and turned
to “fat free” and “reduced fat” foods, (Only to see manufacturers substitute the
fat with sugar). We stopped eating eggs and proteins due to cardiac warnings.

We drink over $100billion worth of water a year (a free resource) and billions of litres of “spring” water (in
plastic bottles which contain the toxic bis-phenol-A (BPA) supposedly because 76% of us are “continually
dehydrated”.

We turn to sugared water as a
means of improving ones image (energy and fitness) and that market was worth $37billion in 2012),
with a net growth exponentially of 13% per anum.

Or we could buy a gym
membership, and concentrate on health and fitness (estimated to be a global
brand of $1 TRILLION by 2017) or we can jog 10 kilometres a day, invest in
exercise equipment ($3.5 billion per year in 2013 for USA alone!) the list goes
on and on, yet the moment someone talks about a paleo lifestyle, all the
scientists and nutritionist’s, creep out of the woodwork with their biased and
industry funded “warnings”.

The W.H.O. estimates that
diabetes will increase world wide by 30-34% globally in 2013. Presently the
cost to health boards around the world is (ID is international dollars) ID$418
billion with a projected increase between ID$490.1 billion and ID$890 Billion by
2030. (economic impact report)

My question is this?

Who is going to pay for these
costs (both financially and health wise)? It is YOU and I!

The food manufacturer
has paid their dues in the form of taxes to their respective governments. The
pharmaceutical companies have paid their dues (in the form of taxes to their
respective governments). Our governments, scientists and nutritionists will
blame something else and move on. (Remember the tobacco lobbyists)? What next –
Petrochemical industry, Sugar industry,Fast food industry, Soft drink and
energy drink manufacturers,GM seed manufacturers,Palm oil growers? (with
their slash and burn policies)?

We are at “the tipping point” in
the distribution of the world’s resources and the corporate giants have sown up
the banking and finance sectors, the manufacturing and food distribution industries
along with the three critical factors for the quality of life to exist as we
know it:

1. Food

2. Water

3. Shelter

What can we do if anything to
change our preferable future?

Each one of us can start by
taking personal responsibility for ones own well-being.

Take control back for
your health and personal well-being.

Start making decisions over what you put
into your body and of those you love.

Stop putting so much “blind
faith” into those who are motivated by profit and financial gain.

It’s naive to
assume that what’s on a food label is a guarantee that its specified contents won’t
have a detrimental health effect along the path? Few people understand the jargon used on labeling as it is as complicated as those leaflets within your diabetes medication. Your may be staking your quality of life on your conclusion.

I recently contacted a colleague
of mine in the nutrition and scientific field. He alerted me to the fact the he
has never seen so much money being invested into research on a diet plan as he has seen with the paleo diet!

I wonder why that is?

Who is funding this research and why?
Will its findings be honest and without bias? One only needs to watch “The men who made us fat” to raise some astute observations.

Most of the press I have read is
negative and poorly researched, with an alarmist view towards paleoists (if that’s a word). Yet the ethos of Paleolithic
foods is “fresh, unprocessed, foods”. Why would that be a concern? Because it doesn't
sell product (yet), and there is little profit or control held by the manufacturers, who will have to re-engineer food production from seed to distribution. (eventually they will jump on the bandwagon and produce labels that say paleo, just as they did with less than 3% fat, or Fat free, or Organic.

It is
the common man / woman, making a stand of their life.

Such interest never occurred
to me 20 years ago, in fact not until I was diagnosed with failing health. It
has been a long journey of discovery, yet one which I had the opportunity to
take. Some are not as fortunate.

One cannot get "a little bit pregnant". As with all change, there is an inception, a conception and reception of the finished product. Start at the beginning with a personal revelation of a preferable future and then work backwards from that.

“People are fed by the food
industry, which pays no attention to health; and are treated by the health
industry, which pays no attention to food”.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Diet is a word I hate to use, for
goodness sake, I am a chef, so why bite the hand that feeds you (pun intended).

No-body wants to be on a diet. Eating this way is a lifestyle change.
We try to eat well, and that means real food, not fake, processed food.
Eat lean meats, and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and
no sugar. Do we have cheat days? Of course we do, but better to view all food
as fuel and the cleaner the fuel, the better the burn.

I have been on a bit of a crusade
of late, brought about by a health crisis which was killing me. Fortunately, I
got a second chance at getting it right, when so many people don’t. So if I
appear to be on my soap box, I have a vested interest in my future well-being
and hopefully yours.

I hasten to add, that I “stumbled”
on the lifestyle known as Paleo whilst researching medical and nutritional sites
to help me combat my drastic health slump. I wasn't looking for a diet, I was
searching for an answer to deal with my health issues. I had noticed that the
choices I had already made, were reaping drastic results and I wanted to know
why? Was it chance?, was it temporal? or was my eating habits that were bringing
the results?

The term Paleo is an enigma
really and I prefer to refer to my changes as being reverting to “whole foods”
and refusing any foods which have gone through a processing plant.

I need to
qualify my expertise here. I am a trained and qualified chef with 40+ years of
practical experience, qualified in: food and meat technology, butchery, bakery,
meat inspection, small goods manufacturing, adult teaching, work place assessor
and life coach. I love food and it nearly killed me!

I think I am qualified to
make an informed observation with a vested interest in a positive outcome.

First of all, I had to
acknowledge the state I was in, despite medical intervention and following
their advice and medication, I was getting worse. The medications were having ongoing
effects on my body, from high blood pressure, protein in my urine, kidney
pains, stomach pain, cold sweats, ridiculously high sugar levels, dizziness,
abscesses, depression and general feeling of un-wellness. I couldn’t sleep or
focus. My weight (though I had lost 15 kg) was still in the obese BMI range. My
diet was sensible and I don’t drink, smoke or take drugs, so there was little
left for me to do, yet I was getting worse on a day by day basis.

My
inspiration came from a bible passage found in the book of Ephesians 6:13 “and having
done all, to stand”. The two keys are found in its verse:

We
need to dowhat is within our
ability to do (eat the way we were intended to eat)

Make
it a habit by starting, continuing and sticking
to the plan. Do and Stand.

Blame is useless and
unproductive. I can be consoled by professionals that call my state “a genetic
issue”, I can blame the pharmaceutical companies for their toxic blends, even
the scientists and medical professionals for not providing a cure, but the
truths are far more sinister than that. I believe it comes in the boxes,
packets and cans that we open on a daily basis, because we “trust” the labels.

We
have been conditioned by our governments to believe that the food manufacturing
regulations are safe and by following the latest scientific viewpoint we will
be fine? My question to them is this. Why do we have a worldwide diabetes
epidemic? Why is cancer so prevalent in the western world?, and why is natural
fat bad for us, but sugar isn't?

Well let me answer that for you!
Because our food source is processed and adjusted in order to last longer, be
more addictive to our palette and bodies, thus making more profit for the
producers. We have swallowed the marketing hype for sugared drinks masquerading
as energy sources and consume bottled water @ $4-$6 a bottle as if to avoid some
pending onset of internal combustion.

No amount of water drinking will improve one’s
health if the food we consume is fueled with sugar, fats, antibiotics, (from
animal sources), pesticides (from crops) nitrates and nitrites, (carcinogenic), food extenders, gluten, stabilisers and anti-oxidants.
If it’s processed it isn't natural, and our bodies are not designed to deal
with such continual pollutants and carcinogenic materials.

Interestingly, a
German corpse will take several weeks longer to decompose (than elsewhere in Europe), due to the high
levels of nitrates consumed through their favourite food, sausage. Humans after
all are meat, and the same process used to cure meat, enters us via our food
sources.

And before anyone accuses me of
being a vegetarian and anti-meat eater? Forget it! I make my own sausages,
butcher my own meat and probably consume more meat than the average male. Ensuring
we know what’s in our food and trusts its source is key. Don’t trust the label; eat
food that doesn't have one where possible.

Here are some facts that helped
me take back control over my health decline.

Fact 1Most diets today are
high in carbs, sugar, refined grains, and industrial vegetable oils, with very
little healthy animal fat. Yet every cell in our body is made from fat, and we
need a lot of the nutrient-rich kind in animal meat for hormone balance, immune
health, and optimal performance. Research also suggests that a high-fat diet
can also cause metabolic changes and speed weight loss.

Fact 2 Since the advent of
agriculture, we've slowly increased our grain consumption. Today, some of the
cheapest and most readily available foods are made from inexpensive, subsidized
grains such as corn and wheat. These foods, like cereal, bread, pasta, and pizza,
are also largely devoid of nutrients. They drive up insulin, putting our bodies
in fat-storing mode, and cause us to crave more of them by the use of chemical
additives. Try visiting your café and asking this question? “What can I
eat that hasn’t got starch, gluten or flour in it?”

Fact 3 The most nutrient-dense
foods – and one of the primary components of a paleo diet – are vegetables. Try
eating more of the healthiest: kale, seaweed, spinach, and arugula. The second
most nutrient-dense food is meat from wild or grass-fed animals, like fish,
cattle, buffalo, and boar. Animal meat is high in B vitamins, omega-3s, amino
acids, and other nutrients essential to good health.

Fact 5 Research suggests that
meat from industrially raised livestock fed growth hormones, antibiotics, and
unnatural grain feed contains harmful chemical residues and fewer nutrients.
Meat from cows that eat a high-grain diet, for example, is lower in omega-3s
and CLA, a fat thought to reduce stomach fat and help prevent cancer. For these
reasons, eating naturally raised or wild meat is important, as is consuming
organic or locally grown produce without fertilizers, pesticides, or genetic
modification.

Fact 6 One of the
quickest-growing nutrition trends is intermittent fasting (IF) – going
prolonged periods without eating – which research shows helps reduce the risk
of diabetes, cognitive decline, heart disease, and cancer. Some of IF's biggest
proponents are paleo followers, who believe our bodies were designed to go
without food for long stretches.Try fasting for up
to 16 hoursseveral days a week to boost energy and
mood.

Fact 7Without doctors, mass
media, and the Internet, cavemen had no choice but to listen to their bodies if
they didn't feel optimal. Everyone is different. Some people have trouble with
dairy, while others can't stomach wheat. One thing's certain: We can all
benefit from a little self-experimentation. The paleo movement believes in
learning the rhythms of your own body and eating and exercising in accordance
to how you as an individual thrive best.

More than 1 Billion people around the world are obese

Post script:

My weight has stabilized with
a total loss of 30kg. Blood sugar is in thenormal range, H1c’s within the normal
range. My blood pressure is excellent and allinfectionsgone. Isleep well,
eat welland have a more positive outlook on life.

The miracle is found in thehaving done all, stand.You may be faced with a similar challenge to myself,
and if that’s the case, then take back your life. Take responsibility away from
the marketers, and profiteers’ by making lifestyle choices now. Sadly, though we may correct our eating habits today, any long terms effects from a lifetime of eating wrongly, may have already taken their toll. For the sake of our children, grandchildren and future generations, lets not wait for another scientific review as the evidence is clear enough right now. We are what we eat!

In the weeks to
come, I will share with you some great recipes and tips, along with a support
structure to empower your progress. Follow me on twitter @coaching4lifeNZ or
facebook coaching-4-life-Ltd.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Your Life Depends On It!

In recent years, I succumbed to a series of health
issues which were not only affecting my daily activities, but were placing my
future health in serious jeopardy. Having enjoyed a pretty robust lifestyle and
blessed with mostly good health, it came as a huge shock to find out that my
health had deteriorated to such

a degree that I couldn’t work, or enjoy the
simple things in life. It all came to a serious conclusion with multiple visits
to the doctor, surgeon and diabetes clinic.

We never really appreciate good health until it is
threatened or taken away.

I have always prided myself on being well educated
and versed on the benefits of eating healthily and well. So to be warned of the
pending outcome, was like a bolt of lightning.
I don’t smoke, drink or do drugs, yet here I was popping 19 tablets a
day, unable to walk more than ten minutes without having to lay down, or sit. I
took this challenge poorly at first but came to realise that it was I that had
to make a stand.

At the beginning of 2014, I had extremely high blood sugar;
H1C’s abnormally high, High blood pressure,

regular use of inhaler to combat
angina and respiratory issues, unable to sleep or do a day’s work without pain
medication due to a prolapsed vertebrae. I had been on a careful diet for over a year and had already lost 15 kg (35 lb). Of course all these conditions place pressure on ones state of mind and
spiritual wellbeing.

The diabetes nurse was so amazed that she
rang me at home to say, “we are so used to progressing patients medication,
that Its so amazing to see the control you have taken and the results
achieved.” She also said my profile was now the same as hers and shes never had diabetes!

The results have been so effective that I have reduced medication
steadily and has mostly stopped.

So what has changed?

Well, firstly I have to acknowledge my
faith in a God that heals. Secondly, taking personal responsibility to play my
part in what foods I eat. And finally taking the time required in doing the
research, (thus educating myself in the appropriate diet and lifestyle).

Here are the critical factors I discovered:

1.The predominance of processed foods is engineered
to sell produce (and added value) as a food source, not necessarily foods which
are best for our health and well-being.

2.Gluten and sugars are products used
to bulk out and extend shelf life and occur in more products than are good for
us. Many are hidden and addictive

3.Excessive Carbohydrates can induce diabetes,
increased weight and the storage of fat in the body. Reduced carbohydrate cause
the metabolism to burn fat, assisting weight loss, and developing a healthier
BMI.
Harvard School of Public Health

In my extensive research I discovered some great journalism
and some quite insidious revelations regarding the food manufacturing industry.
The men who made us fat
I also discovered the long term effects
that genetically modified foods will have on us the consumer, but above
all, I have shaken off the symptoms of
ill health that resulted in my ignorant (yet trusting nature) of my food
consumption.

One must keep in mind that as with the tobacco industry,
alcohol industry (and now the food processing industry), expecting an unbiased,
honest and transparent stance, is somewhat like asking a vampire to guard the
blood bank. There is a vested interest
to ensure that they can continue in business as long as it is possible.

Until
the “tipping point” is reached, don’t expect manufacturers, food processor, pharmaceutical
body, or politicians to support their own demise. I highly recommend that you read Fat
Chance: The bitter truth about sugar by Dr. Robert Lustig.

One of the factors that concern me greatly is the lack of
regulatory muscle that most governments are prepared to use to protect out
health. Pharmaceutical companies have to go through a pretty rigorous process
before selling their products on the open market. The food industry does not,
yet more people are affected by the daily consumption of processed foods, than
by medicines, which by and large are dispensed by a health care professional. I
believe we are far too trusting of food manufacturers, processors, and governments,
in taking the appropriate measures to ensure we are not slowly killing
ourselves by simply trusting (and eating) the food on our shelves.

I haven’t at this point raised my wholehearted objection to
the insidious strategy that GM will have on us all. From full control of who owns
the seed, what seed is available and grown, what chemicals are used on them and
whose water is monopolized in the production, cropping, storage and what
network they are sold!

There is sufficient evidence to warn us that the future
prosperity and security of Nations will not be based on the minerals in the
soil, but the arable land, water supply and food it can produce. The word "kingdom" takes its root from two words. King and Dom! A king is the one who rules, and
Dom is the old English word for earth, soil, land. The kingdom is all about who
rules over the earth. If we give up our sovereignty and the ability to choose
what we grow, we lose our ability to sustain life.

Having taken considerable time in research, soul searching
and prayer, I literally took back control and personal responsibility for:

·The foods I buy and from where

·What and when I eat

·What pharmaceuticals I allow in my body

·Who I listen to about my health and whose information
I trust

Here is the action that I took:

1.If a food has been modified, processed, or
enhanced, I don’t buy it or eat it.

2.If the food label has anything written on it (other
than the product you are buying), leave it.

6.Follow paleo recipes, lifestyle and blogs to
ensure I am kept aware of new products

7. Eat more frequently, smaller but healthier foods
and as little cooking time as is safe

“He that has an experience is never at the mercy of he who
has an argument”.

Or to use the old biblical passage, “Once I was blind, but
now I see” John 9:25

Diabetes and the western world are at epidemic proportions. We
have trusted too long the manufacturers and big corporates which ply us with
foods detrimental to our health. We trust them and have done for oh so
long. It wasn't that long ago that “fat”
was the demon in our food products, but research is showing the effects ofsugar are far more harmful to our bodies than fat, which the body can regulate if eaten appropriately and proportionately. We trust the marketing gurus (who are
employed by corporate bodies) who in turn, sway government policies by using political
lobbyists.

I believe we are likely (in the years ahead) to see food
manufacturers forced to place warning labels on the food they sell, just like
the tobacco companies are today. We are far too trusting of our food
manufacturers; after all, one only needs to study the history of tobacco,
sugar, alcohol and the slave trades, to see how far corporates are prepared to
go in the pursuit of profit.

The Game on TV is sponsored by the betting agency who
legitimizes their product by ending with “and please remember to gamble
responsibly”, yet homes, families, careers and lives are wrecked by the ravages
of gambling. The alcohol and tobacco adverts are prohibited on the player’s
kit, but it appears in all other mediums, and advertisers work hard to present
a wholesome image to its consumers. Sugared drinks are promoted as being the
stuff of athletes, energy bursts and hip colours that look cool on television
in the hand of a sporting icon. Truth is, they are killing us…over time.

The tipping point –

When the cost to the government for medical care, is greater
than the revenue to the government from the food industry, we will see policy
changes, for sure! Until then, we need to educate ourselves into taking
personal responsibility for the foods we consume.

In recent years, I have succumbed to a series of health
issues which were not only affecting my daily activities, but were placing my
future health in serious jeopardy. Having enjoyed a pretty robust lifestyle and
blessed with mostly good health, it came as a huge shock to find out that my
health had deteriorated to such a degree that I couldn’t work, or enjoy the
simple things in life. It all came to a serious conclusion with multiple visits
to the doctor, surgeon and diabetes clinic.

We never really appreciate good health until it is
threatened or taken away. I have always prided myself on being well educated
and versed on the benefits of eating healthily and well. So to be warned of the
pending outcome, was like a bolt of lightning.
I don’t smoke, drink or do drugs, yet here I was popping 19 tablets a
day, unable to walk more than ten minutes without having to lay down, or sit. I
took this challenge poorly at first but came to realise that it was I that had
to make a stand. At the beginning of 2014, I had extremely high blood sugar;
H1C’s abnormally high, High blood pressure, regular use of inhaler to combat
angina and respiratory issues, unable to sleep or do a day’s work without pain
medication due to a prolapsed vertebrae.
Of course all these conditions place pressure on ones state of mind and
spiritual wellbeing.

This week, I met with my family doctor of 33 yrs.’, to have
him pronounce a clean bill of health.
Blood pressure excellent, blood sugar normal, H1C’s normal, Cholesterol
normal and healthy weight loss amazing (14kg in 9 months). The diabetes nurse was so amazed that she
rang me at home to say, “we are so used to progressing patients medication,
that Its so amazing to see the control you have taken and the results
achieved.” The results have been so effective that I have reduced medication
steadily and has mostly stopped.

So what has changed? Well, firstly I have to acknowledge my
faith in a God that heals. Secondly, taking personal responsibility to play my
part in what foods I eat. And finally taking the time required in doing the
research, (thus educating myself in the appropriate diet and lifestyle).

Here are the critical factors I discovered:

1.The predominance of processed foods is engineered
to sell produce (and added value) as a food source, not necessarily foods which
are best for our health and well-being.

2.Gluten and sugars are products used
to bulk out and extend shelf life and occur in more products than are good for
us. Many are hidden and addictive

3.Excessive Carbohydrates can induce diabetes,
increased weight and the storage of fat in the body. Reduced carbohydrate cause
the metabolism to burn fat, assisting weight loss, and developing a healthier
BMI.
Harvard School of Public Health

In my extensive research I discovered some great journalism
and some quite insidious revelations regarding the food manufacturing industry.
The men who made us fat
I also discovered the long term effects
that genetically modified foods will have on us the consumer, but above
all, I have shaken off the symptoms of
ill health that resulted in my ignorant (yet trusting nature) of my food
consumption.

One must keep in mind that as with the tobacco industry,
alcohol industry (and now the food processing industry), expecting an unbiased,
honest and transparent stance, is somewhat like asking a vampire to guard the
blood bank. There is a vested interest
to ensure that they can continue in business as long as it is possible. Until
the “tipping point” is reached, don’t expect manufacturers, food processor, pharmaceutical
body, or politicians to support their own demise. I highly recommend that you read Fat
Chance: The bitter truth about sugar by Dr. Robert Lustig.

One of the factors that concern me greatly is the lack of
regulatory muscle that most governments are prepared to use to protect out
health. Pharmaceutical companies have to go through a pretty rigorous process
before selling their products on the open market. The food industry does not,
yet more people are affected by the daily consumption of processed foods, than
by medicines, which by and large are dispensed by a healthcare professional. I
believe we are far too trusting of food manufacturers, processors, and governments,
in taking the appropriate measures to ensure we are not slowly killing
ourselves by simply trusting (and eating) the food on our shelves.

I haven’t at this point raised my wholehearted objection to
the insidious strategy that GM will have on us all. From full control of who owns
the seed, what seed is available and grown, what chemicals are used on them and
whose water is monopolised in the production, cropping, storage and what
network they are sold! There is sufficient evidence to warn us that the future
prosperity and security of Nations will not be based on the minerals in the
soil, but the arable land, water supply and food it can produce. A kingdom
takes its root from two words. King and Dom! A king is the one who rules, and
Dom is the old English word for earth, soil, land. The kingdom is all about who
rules over the earth. If we give up our sovereignty and the ability to choose
what we grow, we lose our ability to sustain life.

Having taken considerable time in research, soul searching
and prayer, I literally took back control and personal responsibility for:

·The foods I buy and from where

·What and when I eat

·What pharmaceuticals I allow in my body

·Who I listen to about my health and whose information
I trust

Here is the action that I took:

4.If a food has been modified, processed, or
enhanced, I don’t buy it or eat it.

5.If the food label has anything written on it (other
than the product you are buying), leave it.

9.Follow paleo recipes, lifestyle and blogs to
ensure I am kept aware of new products

10.Eat more frequently, smaller but healthier foods
and as little cooking time as is safe

“He that has an experience is never at the mercy of he who
has an argument”.

Or to use the old biblical passage, “Once I was blind, but
now I see” John 9:25

Diabetes and the western world are at epidemic proportions. We
have trusted too long the manufacturers and big corporates which ply us with
foods detrimental to our health. We trust them and have done for oh so
long. It wasn’t that long ago that “fat”
was the demon in our food products, but research is showing the effects of
sugar are far more harmful to our bodies than fat, which the body can regulate,
eaten appropriately and proportionately. We trust the marketing gurus (who are
employed by corporate bodies) who in turn sway government policies by using political
lobbyists.

I believe we are likely (in the years ahead) to see food
manufacturers forced to place warning labels on the food they sell, just like
the tobacco companies are today. We are far too trusting of our food
manufacturers; after all, one only needs to study the history of tobacco,
sugar, alcohol and the slave trades, to see how far corporates are prepared to
go in the pursuit of profit.

The Game on TV is sponsored by the betting agency who
legitimises their product by ending with “and please remember to gamble
responsibly”, yet homes, families, careers and lives are wrecked by the ravages
of gambling. The alcohol and tobacco adverts are prohibited on the player’s
kit, but it appears in all other mediums, and advertisers work hard to present
a wholesome image to its consumers. Sugared drinks are promoted as being the
stuff of athletes, energy bursts and hip colours that look cool on television
in the hand of a sporting icon. Truth is, they are killing us…over time.

The tipping point –

When the cost to the government for medical care, is greater
than the revenue to the government from the food industry, we will see policy
changes, for sure! Until then, we need to educate ourselves into taking
personal responsibility for the foods we consume. After all, we are staking our lives on it.

Coaching 4 Life Blog

About Me

I enjoy bringing the best out of people and being a part of a global family. I operate Coaching 4 Life ltd and travel as an itinerant Pastor and support worker in most aspects of leadership development.
I have traveled extensively to speak @ conferences, congregations, leadership seminars, businesses and coaching clinics. Most recently, my focus has been in the education sector, providing quality control, workplace assessment, academic and curriculum development.

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Welcome to my blogroll

Hi, and welcome to "I've Been Thinking".

My intention with this blog, is not to deluge the "blogasphere" with meaningless chatter, or even to gain accolade among my peers. It is a place where I can collate the myriad of thoughts and musings I have floating around my mind. To those of you who are reading, I hope it in some way spurs you on to at least think.

Unity is not "sameness", it is diversity with a measure of commonality. The hardest thing to open is a closed mind, and the bravest thing we can do is open our mind to the risk that we may have a change of thinking that could lead to a changed and empowered lifestyle.

The snippets that you read, will @ some point find themselves in a book I am writing (or have written), inspiration from others will be credited so.

All slide photographs are from my own personal portfolio and collection. Where alternative images are used,they are from "public domain" or "Royalty free" resources. Should you know different, please verify source.

At "Iv'e Been Thinking," all successes, accuracies and appreciations are attributed to God.